


something greater

by officialcrow



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Canon, got me inspired, listening to this arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 17:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8676349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/officialcrow/pseuds/officialcrow
Summary: Hurley and Sloan share a final moment of lucidity before Sloane is enveloped in the power of the Gaia Sash. Before Petals to the Metal.





	

Hurley sat in her garage, tinkering with the many parts strewn about over her work table. She sighed with exasperation. The wagon she was building was turning out, but she hadn't seen much of her partner. The last week or so, Sloane had been nearly entirely absent from Hurley's life. A kiss here, a "see you, babe" there, but other than that, it had been radio silence. It was worrying Hurley. She had caught sight of Sloane tinkering with magic, something she had done on the track, but nothing like this. Vines crawling from the ground wherever she would step, dark clouds forming when Hurley tried to question it. It all stunk, and of something bad.

Hurley was pulled from her thoughts by a rapid-fire knock to her garage door. She sat up with a jolt. She waited, quietly, until the knock came again. This time it was a familiar tune, and she realized who it was. She let a sigh of relief out before pulling open the door. Sure enough, Sloane stood in the moonlight, her face contorted into worry. Immediately Hurley knew everything was wrong. Before she said anything, Sloane stumbled into the garage, and Hurley quickly shut it after her.

"Sloane!" She exclaimed, as the elf woman stumbled onto a stool. "Sloane, are you-" She ran up to her and took her hands into her own. They were eerily cold. "Are- Are you okay? You look _sick _." And she did. Her eyes were hollow and gazed far away, and her skin was turning a slight, sickly green.__

__"H...Hurley..." She muttered. "I... I need to- I need to come clean. I... I-I..." She struggled to form her words. She looked up at Hurley with shining blue eyes that were overflowing with grief and fear. "I'm sorry- I'm so sorry..." She held back tears as she clung onto Hurley._ _

__This wasn't like Sloane at all, and Hurley grew more and more fearful. "Hey, hey, this isn't like you, Sloane, love..." She swallowed her anxiety. "Deep breaths, okay? Come on. Talk to me, are... Are you in trouble? Do I need to talk to the Captain? You know- You know I can make things happen, and if somebody is trying to-"_ _

__"No... No, no no... That's not..." Sloane took a shaky breath. "Hurley. I'm so- I'm so sorry I've been gone, but... Hurley, I-I'm... I'm losing myself... to this stupid fucking belt." Belt? Wait. That's right. A week ago, Sloane had come home with a strange sash wrapped around her body, adorned with leaves and ivy. Hurley had asked, but Sloane had immediately changed the subject, so Hurley thought it best to leave it be._ _

__"Losing yourself....? What are you talking about, it's a belt, what are you-" She stops with the look Sloane gives her, and she remains quiet._ _

__"This... This belt, Hurley, it's..." She laughs, but Hurley hears the pain. "It's fucking amazing, Hurley, it's... It's made me so, so powerful. I can control the trees, a-and, and the- And the vines, the flowers... Storms, water, nature... Everything! E-Everything! I've never felt so powerful, and I don't think... I don't think anyone else has, either, but... But..." She takes a deep breath. "I can't control it, Hurley." Her voice has become strong and quiet. "I can't... I can't do it..."_ _

__Hurley didn't fully understand, but she knew one thing - Sloane was hurting, and she was hurting bad. Seeing her like this filled her with rage and grief. In an instant, she said "Then I'll just take it-" and reached for the sash. Sloane gasped and screamed "Hurley, NO!" but it was too late. The moment Hurley touched the sash, her eyes went blank for just a moment as she felt the power of it - and then as a charge of electricity shot through her body painfully, and she was thrown away onto the ground. Sloane gasped and threw her hand over her mouth, before diving to the ground beside her. "F-Fuck, Hurley- Shit, are you- are you-"_ _

__Instinctively, Hurley pushed Sloane away. Sloane's eyes grew sorrowful, and Hurley realized what she did. "S- Sorry, I just-" But Sloane had already recoiled. "It's okay! I'm fine, okay, I'm fine-" she said, and smiled big. Her ears were ringing, and she was in some pain, but she could take it. She was a lieutenant, after all._ _

__"No... No!" Sloane grabbed her hair and pulled, her teeth grit. "I... This is what I mean, I can't control it, I hurt you, out of- out of anyone, I hurt _you_ , Hurley, I..." She took a few shaky breaths. "Listen. I... I don't know what to do, Hurley. This sash, it's controlling me, and I'm- I'm trying to keep it under control, but I can feel it, and I don't think I have... I have much time left." Hurley looked to her with fear. Fear for her. "I'm scared, Hurley. I'm so fucking scared of this thing. Even... Even now, it's taking everything to just... Come to you, and say this, and... And stop the magic... I've been avoiding you because I was scared I would hurt you, a-and I think this is all I have left in me. I've been... This last week, I've been looking all over this city for something greater than this, something I could use to- to defeat it, or to move on to, anything to get away from it, but... But I can't. I don't think I ever will."_ _

__Hurley froze, unsure of it all. This couldn't be true. She and Sloane had known each other for so long now. It was always going to be good. Racing together, kissing as they won, embracing under the moonlight, reveling in the cheers of the crowd, growing older together - she had gone over it in her head, again and again. They would be together for as long as they were alive. "No..." She whispered. "No, Sloane, I know you, we can- we can try to-"_ _

__"We can't!" Sloane shouted. Hurley flinched. "I-I'm sorry, but we- we can't fix this. I'm so sorry, Hurley." She approached her again, and Hurley leaned in to her. "I love you, Hurley. I love you so much..." She gently took Hurley into her arms and pressed their lips together. Hurley fought back tears as she kissed back. She placed her hands into Sloane's ebony hair, pulling them even closer together. Finally, Sloane slowly pulled away, staring her bright blue eyes into Hurley's. "I'm sorry," she said. "I love you so much. I'm sorry." She stood up, and walked over to the cabinets against the wall of the garage. Reaching into a drawer, she pulled out a raven mask, and affixed it to her face. "Goodbye, Hurley."_ _

__Hurley watched with confusion and fear as Sloane turned into a storm cloud - grey mist encircling itself - and drifted quickly out of the garage through the cracks in the door. And then, she was left alone, tears now streaming down her cheeks._ _

__"Goodbye, Sloane."_ _

**Author's Note:**

> i was listening to this and decided my first fandom contribution would be some sad, sad lesbians...


End file.
